Gift to USF Funds Summer Research Program Grants

Joliet, Ill. – The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at the University of St. Francis (USF) takes place annually from June through the start of the fall semester and offers grant funding that provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to collaborate with faculty members on research projects. Now, thanks to a generous gift from USF Professor Emeritus William Bromer, Ph.D., and his wife, Linda, twelve additional grants will allow one or two more students each summer to participate in valuable learning opportunities that take place outside the traditional classroom setting.

The Bromers’ gift will specifically fund twelve Laudito Si’ (the second encyclical of Pope Francis) grants through the SURE program. Proposals will be considered for the Laudito Si’ SURE Grant if they meet the regular SURE Program guidelines and make an explicit connection to Pope Francis’ challenge to humanity to identify an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the underprivileged, and at the same time protecting nature. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the proposed research makes connections with some of the topics discussed in the encyclical, such as: concern for nature, justice for the poor, non-violence, ethical economy, fair health care, environmental activism, educational challenges, and sustainability.

Bill Bromer, who taught in USF’s College of Arts and Sciences from 1992 to 2020 and still serves on the USF Sustainability Committee while also serving as the first Director of the Charlotte Codo Prairie in Frankfort, Ill., believes that the opportunities presented through the SURE program are one of a kind.

“What the students and faculty teams experience through the SURE program are high impact practices. This authentic learning makes a difference in a way that is unique while taking place outside the walls of the traditional classroom setting,” he said.

Proposals for SURE Program grants are due in mid-March.

About the SURE Program at USF

The SURE Program at USF offers valuable benefits to both students and faculty who participate in it. Students have the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research that adds significantly to their learning, retention, and post-graduate opportunities. For faculty, the opportunity encourages them to carve out time to work with students during the summer while furthering their own scholarship.

In addition to stipend amounts for both the student and the faculty collaborator, funds may be requested for minimal miscellaneous expenses. Students are also able to earn a tuition waiver for up to two credit hours of directed study and can also live on campus during the summer months at a reduced rate for the duration of the project. One or more student/faculty teams may also be selected to attend the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in spring 2022 (dependent upon funding availability).

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 51,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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